


Failing at Good

by BookWyrm07



Series: A New Goal [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Awkward Confession, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Oblivious Liam, Sociopath Theo Raeken, Theo wants to be good, failing, obvious Theo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-09 05:21:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15260298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookWyrm07/pseuds/BookWyrm07
Summary: Starts right after the battle at the hospital. How Theo joins the pack and tries to be a better person.





	1. The Aftermath

He looked at the dying hunter in front of him. The similarities couldn't be ignored. They were both young. Both sided with others against Scott's pack. Both killed without remorse, even willing to go after ones that had been on their team. But there were differences. Big differences. Theo only killed for a purpose, even way back with Tara. He killed her to save his own life. He never killed just to kill. There was no pleasure in it. Gabe seemed to enjoy it, further he didn't care who he killed. Was he a sadist or a zealot? Did it matter? 

He looked at his hand on the hunter's arm. Black veins standing out from pale skin. Why could he take this asshole's pain, when he couldn't take Mason's? Didn't being an asshole make Gabe more deserving of pain? Maybe because if the Kitsune has carried a gun instead of a sword he could have ended the same way? Maybe he was learning how to empathize? He let go. Gabe took a few more breaths before his heart stopped. He felt a measure of satisfaction. Okay, maybe empathizing is too strong. It sure as hell wasn't pity. Gabe had tried to kill Liam more than once. 

Liam. That idiot. 

Theo stood. Melissa was checking over the injuries of the unconscious hunters. Liam was watching him. Good. He should see this. Nolan was standing to the side, looking at the destruction. He was surprised when Theo grabbed him by his shirt. "You, are one stupidest bastards I have ever met. Do you need a fucking neon sign to see a trap coming? Because these hunters practically gave you one, and you still lead Liam right into it." Nolan was even more surprised when Theo's fist collided with his jaw. The blond hunter fell back on to his ass, sliding a few feet.

Liam's hand grabbed his shoulder. He spun pushing the beta in the chest. "And you! How stupid do you have to be to not only meet with a hunter, alone but to then follow him to another location? Do you have a goddamn death wish?" He pushed Liam again, harder this time. "Because I can stop risking my life to save you, if you do." His eyes met Liam's. "Why didn't you call me? I would have watched your back. I could have taken them out one at a time before they were able to spring the trap." His voice was ice cold. "I had to hear from, Scott, that you had gotten yourself and your best friends into a possibly deadly situation." He gave Liam a light tap to the chest that felt more like a slap in the face. Then turned and strode away.

He was in the elevator by the time Liam caught up with him. "Theo!" The beta yelled. From the sound of his voice the chimera knew what was coming. No chemo signals needed. He relaxed the muscles in his face and neck then turned. The fist hit him right between the eyes. Blood oozed slowly from one nostril. "Why the hell do you even care? What? Do you think you owe me something for bringing you back? You don't."

Theo shook his head, and pressed the button for the first floor. "You really are a dumbass, Dunbar. I know I don't owe you anything. If I did that would have been paid back during the wild hunt."

His anger replaced by confusion, Liam asked, "Then why? You don't seem to care what happens to anyone else." 

In answer Theo stepped in, pulled the angry werewolf close and pressed a kiss to his lips. There was a split second before the kiss was returned, and a couple more before Liam's lips parted giving him access. Their tongues meshed together. Then elevator stopped. Theo pulled out of the kiss and pressed forehead to forehead. "Just call me before you do anything stupid or dangerous." He was gone before Liam could speak.

He sat behind the wheel of his truck. Leaning back with eyes closed he savored the memory of Liam's mouth on his. The wolf had actually kissed him back. That was probably the most unbelievable part.

He took a deep breath and nearly choked on the smell, depression, self pity and greasy unwashed teenager. How had he let it get this bad? He rolled the window down. Time to get back to what he did best. Set a goal, and make a plan. 

The goal was partially the same. He still wanted a pack. A smile crossed his lips. Maybe not a perfect pack. It was starting to register that perfection was over rated at best, unattainable at worst. This time he had no desire to be the alpha. That hadn't worked out so well. Probably better for everyone involved if he wasn't in charge. He spared a moment to remember Josh and Tracy. Their deaths had served a purpose, and there was no guilt there, but he would like to do better this time around. Muscle. Pack enforcer. Goon. He could do that, and if him doing that job kept a certain angry blue eyed beta from getting blood on his hands, all the better.

Liam. The new part of his goal. Could he really hope for more than that one kiss? Probably better not to. As far as Theo knew Liam was straight, but most straight guys wouldn't have returned the kiss. Still, he would focus on keeping the adorable time bomb safe, soaking up his scent, maybe even have a conversation that didn't end in a broken nose.

First things first, though. A place to get cleaned up, and sleep where he wouldn't be woken up by deputies. Wasn't there a good stream near Malia's old coyote den? It would be warm inside, especially if he full shifted. That would work. Tomorrow he would figure out someway to get money for gas, and everything else.

\------

Liam sat down with his lunch. It had been a crazy and awkward week. Coming back to school with the same people that had tried to hunt him. Everyone knew he was a werewolf now. At least most didn't really care anymore. It probably helped than him and Nolan were really playing up their new friendship and co-captain status. "I still can't believe coach just let me back on the team."

"I can't believe he knew about us this whole time, and never said anything," Corey said. He took the seat right next to Mason, then scooted until their sides were touching.

"Maybe that's why he drinks. Drank? Did he quit?" Nolan asked.

"Coach doesn't drink." Liam said definitively. "He faked it after that assassin dosed him with distemper." Nolan looked confused. He started to open his mouth, but stopped, shook his head.

His friends were talking about class and being back. Liam at his sandwich without tasting it. His mind kept circling back to an angry pair of green eyes, hands on the back of his neck pulling him forward and that kiss. Theo kissed him. He still couldn't quite wrap his mind around it. There was no way Theo had feelings for him. They could hardly stand each other. Fighting with him was always fun, though. 

Everyone else at the table was quiet. They were also staring at him. His eyes moved from one face to another. Why did they look so judge? "Umm sorry, I wasn't listening." Corey and Nolan burst out laughing. His face felt hot.

Mason covered his face with his hand. "Liam, while you were exploring far off galaxies I was saying we should have a pack meeting. You know, figure out who is always here and who is emergency help?"

"We already know that. Argent is help when he's in town. Scott and Malia are here some weekends and on school breaks. Parish is here as needed. Peter is only if to be called if we're about to die without him." Scott had made Liam not only memorize that list, but all their phone numbers as well. 

"What about Theo?"

"He's pack." Wasn't that obvious? Corey and Mason exchanged a look. Mason shook his head. Corey raised his eyebrows. Mason scrunched his in response. When did they start having arguments with just their eyebrows? "What?"

"Scott never made Theo part of the pack." Mason finally said.

"No, he just used him as disposable muscle, and ignored his existence when no one was trying to kill us." Mason opened his mouth about to speak. "I won't do that to him, Mase. He's different now, way less evil. Maybe even good. He deserves a chance." He smiled. "I'm inviting him to movie night." 

Nolan touched his still bruised jaw. He and Mason traded weary looks. Corey grinned. "Shouldn't we talk about it a little, before you invite a psycho, even a possibly reformed psycho to movie night."

"Too late! I already texted him." Liam held up his phone. It already dinged with a replay.

Liam: my place tonight?  
Theo: More hunters?  
Liam: no!  
Liam: movie/pizza night. Pack bonding.  
Theo: u txted theo. u know?  
Liam: yes. b there?  
Theo: 830 ok?  
Liam: c u then :)

He look at his phone. Did he really just send Theo a smiley face? "He said he'll be there at eight thirty." Corey was giving Mason a smug grin. What the hell was up with those two?

\-----

As it turns out a coyote den is way more comfortable than the backseat of a truck. The stream was only about hundred yards away. It was only a few degrees above freezing, but it was October, so that was to be expected. 

Getting a job was easy. He had already dismissed anything illegal. Liam wouldn't approve, and the goal was to get on his good side. He went to a cafe that he knew was always short staffed, charmed the owner into letting him be a server. It wasn't a bad job, especially when you could charm your way into extra tips.

Theo stared at his phone. Liam already thought of him as pack? No. Too easy. Maybe he's candidate, but no way he's in, yet. It wasn't just Liam he would have to win over, either. Mason and Corey were just as important. He caught a stern look from his boss, put his phone away and gave her sheepish smile and an apology before going back to work. 

He finished work at eight. He took a few minutes to count his tips and drove to Liam's house. The guys were all gathered in the basement rec room. He saw Mason on the couch, a note pad in his lap and learning against Corey. The fail hunter kid sat on the floor next to Liam. The two were excitedly engaged in a fighting game. His stomach did a little flip when the werewolf cheered at his own victory. "Am I the last one here?" Theo asked stepping off the stairs.

Corey snorted a laugh. "Nice shirt." He looked down at his work shirt : deep pink with 'Rosie's' written in loopy black script.

Theo shrugged. "I came here straight from work."

Liam eyed the shirt with disgust, " I hope they pay you well to make it worth wearing, that."

"Not really, but I can usually charm the bored housewives and stressed out professional women into tipping really well." Theo took a wide comfortable looking chair. Liam pushed a pizza box towards him.

"Before we start on the movie I think we need to talk about pack rules." Mason said looking directly at Theo. Liam sighed and rolled his eyes. "You two fought against us and we need to make sure we are on the same page as far as what's acceptable." He knew there had to be conditions. How many ways are they going to use to tell him not to be evil? "Ok." Mason took a deep breath. "First, no murder. Theo, you've used self-defense as an excuse when it probably wasn't necessary, so that excuse won't fly. You kill someone; you're out."

Nolan's eyes got a little wider, "I've never killed anyone. I don't want to either."

Theo just nodded in understanding. He wasn't wrong. "I'll fight to incapacitate. I expected that to be a rule, and I've been following it since I got back."

"Second rule: no torture." Mason said it fast like he was just trying to get it out. Liam looked annoying. He smelled mad, not break something mad, but not talking to his best friend mad.

Theo just sighed. Why did people assume the worst about him? Because you've been a bastard to them and they don't know where you draw the line. "I'm not a sadist."

"What does devil worship have to do with torture?" Nolan asked.

"No you're a psycho." Mason said at the same time.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. Shouldn't advanced healing prevent headaches? "Nolan, don't speak out loud you lower the IQ of the whole street. Mason, I'm not a psychopath. I'm a high functioning sociopath. Do your research."

Mason smelled annoyed, hostile. "Do you think quoting Sherlock makes you cute?"

"No, my dimples do that." He gave the younger guy a big smile. He didn't look or smell impressed. "My point, Mason, is that I need motivation to act. As causing pain doesn't get me off, is an unreliable way to gather information and very messy, I have no reason to ever want to do it. Rule two isn't a problem."

"Sorry to interrupt, what I'm sure is a very distributing conversation, but I have a crime scene I need someone with a supernatural sense of smell to check out." Sheriff Stilinski stood at the bottom of the stairs. "I think the victim is a werewolf."


	2. The Crime Scene

Theo cursed under his breath. He was too focused on reading Mason. He hadn't even heard the door open let alone Stilinski coming down the stairs. "Alright." Liam said, getting to his feet. "You guys watch the movie. I'll be beck when we're done."

Theo stood. "I'm going with you."

"I'm not taking a known murderer to a crime scene." The Sheriff's eyes narrowed at the chimera. 

Liam answered, "Sheriff, Theo isn't like that anymore."

"Really? Because I just heard him calling himself a sociopath."

"Yeah, but he's working on it." Liam smelled of frustration and controlled anger. "Do any of you have any idea how many times he's saved our lives? You know he took on every rider of the hunt, alone, so that I could get vital information to Scott and Stiles? We just fought a war and he saved my life at least four more times." He looked Stilinski directly in the eye. "Twice, he stopped me from murdering hunters." Liam thought for a moment before adding, "You want a supernatural expert on this, Theo knows more about this stuff than anyone else in town." The Sheriff didn't like it, and made no attempt to hide It, but he nodded.

Theo opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find words. Liam was defending him to the sheriff. Liam must really want him as pack. Damn, already so close to the first part of his goal. He thought it would take at least six months to get here.

They followed the sheriff. Theo drove. Liam sat in the passenger seat talking. "Sorry about Mason. He's just hasn't wrapped his mind around how much you have changed. He'll come around." His heart was racing, and he was putting off enough anxiety that Theo was starting to feel tightness in his chest. Worried about his first time at a crime scene, or because it was their first time alone since their kiss? 

Theo gave a half smile. "I understand. I have to earn their trust, and given our history that's going to be hard. I didn't expect you to start including me as pack this soon. How many more rules does he have?"

"Just the two that I know of, but he said he reserves the right to add more whenever necessary." Theo laughed at Liam's eye roll. "Really, Theo, I need you. In the pack, I mean. To watch my back. You're the only one that can."

"I'm not going anywhere, Littlewolf." Liam growled at the nickname, making Theo grin a bit more. Wanting him in pack, even if it's only for muscle, is really all he can ask for. He can keep Liam safe, and that would be enough.

The crime scene was in a quiet residential area. Official vehicles surrounded a simple, small blue house. Stilinski stopped Theo before he could go inside. "I just want to be clear, that if I find out you are working against us, I will make it my personal mission to make your life hell."

Well, at least this time the threat didn't involve shooting him in the face multiple times. He will probably be saying this a few thousand times over the next few months. Maybe even years. "I've been to hell, remember, Sheriff? I have no desire to go back. You aren't going to believe me, but I really don't have any intention of betraying any of you." 

Theo entered the house just behind Liam. A smokey floral scent saturated everything, but under that they both caught the unmistakable smell of wolf. Liam gave a small cough. They came to the living room. The body was laying on the couch like it had just fallen asleep watching tv. "A werewolf or two defiantly lived here." Liam commented. He coughed again. "What is that other smell?"

Sheriff stood in the doorway. "There was some incense burning when we came it." He pointed to a small cone on a plate that sat on the coffee table.

Theo went to take a closer look. A purple cone with yellow flecks was burned almost all the way down. "Wolfsbane," he said simply. Between the couch and the coffee table he saw a ring of black dust. He pointed it out. "Mountain ash." He gave a cough.

The Sheriff didn't sound happy with the information. "You guys ok?" They both nodded . "That's what I thought, but I couldn't be sure with out confirmation. So, this is definitely a hunter that knows what he's doing." He thought for a moment. "Can either of you catch the killer's scent?"

"The wolfsbane is covering pretty much everything. It's almost covering the smell of the guys that lived here." Liam said before letting out a long round of coughs. The air was getting heavy. He couldn't get enough oxygen. He felt strong arms around his back, then he was being pushed out the door. The air was fresh and cool. The coughing quieted as his lungs began to work again.

Liam opened his eyes, and saw Theo looking him in the face. Watery green eyes filled with concern. "Are your lungs working, or do I need to kick start you healing." He gave Liam that one sided grin. "I could break your nose if you want." The beta laughed and it set off another round of coughs. "We done here, Sheriff?" 

Stilinski nodded, "I thought opening the window, with this breeze, would have cleared it out enough to be safe for you guys. I'm sorry I exposed you to that." His heart rate was steady and the smell of genuine concern radiated from him. Sheriff might be an dick, but he was honorable. If he came after Theo he would do it face to face.

Liam was still wheezing when Theo got him in the truck. They drove with the windows open. "When we get back to your house, you need to shower and change your clothes. It'll get rid of any wolfsbane clinging to you." 

As soon as they arrived Liam headed up to his room, and waved Theo down stairs to join the rest of the guys. Mason and Corey still shared the couch. Now they were cuddled up even closer, with Mason's head resting on Corey's chest. Even Theo couldn't deny how cute they were. Idiot fail hunter was now in one of the chairs. A buddy cop comedy was playing. They all turned to look at him. Before Mason had a second to register that he was coming in alone. He spoke, "Liam went to take a shower. The hunter used wolfsbane smoke. Walking into the room, even after they opened a window, pretty much gave him an asthma attack."

"But not you?" Mason's eye narrowed in accusations.

"I had a minor one. Liam was more effected as he is a real werewolf." He reminded himself that Mason was Liam's best friend, and was just being protective. In truth they both wanted the same thing. Mason just didn't know it yet. "You may not know this, Mason, but I really do care what happens to him. I wouldn't let him get hurt if I could stop it."

"Are you going to tell him that?" Corey looked over his shoulder to smile at the other chimera. "If you do, don't be subtle. Liam is dense and practically needs to be clubbed over the head to get it." Theo flopped onto the open chair. His mind wandering back to the kiss in the elevator. The way he'd pulled Liam close. No, subtle wasn't how he'd describe it.

Liam came back in to the rec room, wearing a pair of sweats. His hair still wet. He wasn't wearing a shirt and Theo got a great view of his broad, hairy chest. "I got out a fresh towel and pair of sweats for you in my bathroom. My mom said just leave your clothes in my hamper. She'll take care of the laundry, so we aren't exposed to any more wolfsbane." Liam laughed at Theo's stunned confusion. "My mom is just awesome like that." He noticed the screen for the first time. "I thought we were going to watch Mean Girls." He growled at Nolan

"I thought we would save that for when you were here." The hunter lied. His heart rate was all over the place. "And they agreed to 21 Jump Street." He waved at the two curled on the couch together.

"Of course they agreed. Corey has a thing for Channing Tatum." Liam was starting to get angry.

Theo burst out laughing, a rich laugh that shook his whole body. "Oh my god! This has to be the gayest pack ever!" Mason and Corey looked confused. Liam turned all the building anger in his direction. Nolan actually looked relieved to have Liam focused on someone else. "Seriously, Mean Girls for pack bonding? I thought the only people that like that movie are teen girls and gay guy." He started moving to the stairs. He saw Liam's fist clench. "And just to point out Littlewolf, it's Wednesday and I'm the only one wearing pink." 

Liam's anger deflated, as he watched Theo took the stairs two at a time, still laughing. "Did..." he looked at his best friend, "Did he just come out to us with a Mean Girls reference?"

"That's what it sounded like." Mason sighed. He didn't like it, but he had to support his friend, even if that friend wanted to take a bad boy phase to a new extreme.

"I'm surprised you guys didn't already know." Corey shook his head. 

"Liam, thought Brett was straight and they played lacrosse together for years." Mason pointed out. 

"Did Brett flirt with Liam like Theo does?" Nolan asked.

"Theo doesn't flirt with me!" Liam practically yelled. They were giving him their judgey looks again. "He doesn't!" All at once they started bombarding him with questions: Did Theo have a special nick name for him? Did he smile at him? Did teasing count at flirting? Did he go out of his way to help Liam? "Okay! Okay! Maybe he kind of flirts with me, but it's not like real flirting. He just does it to get on my nerves. Except..." His voice trailed off. He remembered the kiss. Theo's hand on the back of his neck. Their lips pressed together. The feel of Theo's tongue sliding against his.

"Except what?" Mason asked?

He looked hard at the floor. "Except for that time he kissed me.That doesn't mean anything. It was right after the battle and..." He thought more about the fight at the hospital and the zoo, and all the times Theo was there. "Holy fuck! Theo is in love with me. He kissed me. I kissed him back, then I didn't talk to him for over a week. He must think I panicked! He thinks I have gay panic! Stop with your judgey faces!"

Mason took a deep breath and covered his face with his palm. "Liam, you told me you were bi when we were thirteen. That wasn't even your first gay kiss. You can't have gay panic."

"I know that, but Theo doesn't!"

"So, you're panicking because you think Theo thinks you panicked about a kiss that you didn't panic about?" Mason spoke calmly.

"When you say it like that it just sounds crazy." Liam pouted.

"How about, we clear out, you and Theo can talk about that kiss and next week we watch Mean Girls for real?" Corey was already pushing Mason up, and waiving at Nolan for follow.

Liam sat on the couch trying to figure out what to say when Theo got back. Hey, I like you; I really liked that kiss; or maybe I shouldn't say anything and just kiss him? Is that weird?

His thoughts stopped abruptly when Theo came into the room. He was shirtless. Why was Theo shirtless? Because you didn't set one out for him. You also didn't put out any underwear. Stop! Don't look at his crotch. He's staring at you. He's waiting for you to say something. Did he ask a question? Oh god, Liam just say something. "I don't have gay panic!" His voice was too loud and he was talking too fast. Not that. Why did you say that?

Theo laughed. It was a good laugh. His face lit up when he did. "That's good to know, Littlewolf, but I asked where the other guys went."

"Home." His voice was normal now at least. "They figured we should talk about that kiss." Blue eyes met green "I really did like it. I... I just... I'm an idiot."

Theo's smile grew. "I know." Then Liam was kissing him. Soft lips pressed into his. He felt hands on his hips pulling their bodies together. He moaned when Liam's tongue found his.


	3. The Hunter

They had fallen to the couch, at some point. Their legs tangled together while their hands roamed and explored. Theo flipped Liam on his back. He started kissing the young man's jaw moving towards his ear. When the chimera's teeth made contact with his lobe Liam groaned and rocked their hips together. Theo breathed a deep chuckle into his ear, then kissed his way down Liam's neck. 

"Theo, stop." Liam said breathlessly. 

He froze. His lips no longer touched Liam's skin. He took a deep breath of the wolf's scent before pulling back his head back. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Just don't want things going too far, and having my mom walk in." He laughed.

"That would be awkward." He agreed. Theo slid down so that their hips no longer pressed together. He could feel Liam's hardness press against his stomach. Hands traced down the beta's shoulders, and through chest hair until they crossed over his ribs. "You make a good pillow, Littlewolf." He rested his head on his hands and gave a lopsided smile.

For once the nickname did seem so bad. "You just going to stay there?"

"I'd planed to." He ran a finger through Liam's chest hair. "Unless you want me to move?" His expression made it a question.

Liam watched Theo's finger draw an circles on his chest. "What does this mean for us? Is there an us?"

The older teen sighed. He just had to ask that right now. "It means whatever you want it to. If you want there to be an us, then we are." Liam growled. Theo put his hand over Liam's heart. "Let me clarify before you punch me in the face." He knew he was pushing the beta. Liam had run the gauntlet of emotions tonight, of course his IED would pop out. "I don't know if you're ready for everything I want, and I don't want to rush you into anything. So I will be happy with what you want to give."

The growl deepened. "Or maybe you treat me like an equal in this relationship and tell me what you want so I can make my own choice."

"Fine." Theo's eyes narrowed. "What do I want? I want to lick every inch of your body. I want you to hold me down and pound me into this couch until I come screaming. Then I want to do the same to you." Liam shuddered and twitched against his stomach. He gave the werewolf a smug grin. "I want to fight with you everyday. Do you have any idea how hot you are when you get really mad? I won't even mind you punching me in the face, if we follow it up with angry make up sex." He brushed a stray bit of hair out of blue eyes. "I want take you on a real date, and stay up late watching movies or stargazing with you wrapped in my arms." Green eyes softened, and became a bit sad. "But if you don't want that, or only part of that that's okay, because what I want more than anything else, is to know you always have someone to watch your back. I want to make sure you come back from every fight. I want you to be safe."

"So you want us to have some bizarre bodyguard/abusive boyfriend relationship with a lot of rough sex?" His anger replaced with confusion.

"I think hitting with consent is considered kinky foreplay, rather than abuse."

Liam laughed at Theo's serious tone. "I think it says something that we have to define what is abuse and what is foreplay." He shook his head. "Seriously, I like everything you said, except maybe the part of me hitting you, but if that's what you like, I won't judge." He smiled. "I like us fighting together, having each other's backs."

Theo laughed, and kissed Liam lightly on the lips. "I'm still not dying for you."

"Good." He replied. "I'm still not dying for you, either." His lips pushed back against the chimera's, but pulled back before things could get heated. "My boyfriend told me he wanted 'stay up late watching movies' with his arms around me. Sound like a good plan?"

It took a few minutes to get settled and find a comfortable position. Theo sat reclined. Liam leaned against him back to chest, one of Theo's arms across his chest. They made it half an hour before they both fell asleep. 

\-----

Theo had never been a heavy sleeper. Waking up to a shotgun pointed in his face hadn't helped that, so when an extra heartbeat came in the room he woke up. Odd, he couldn't smell anyone. He expected Liam's mom to be coming in, but why couldn't he smell her? "Mrs. Geyer?" His voice came out groggy.

"Oh, no, dear." Said an unfamiliar voice. The probes sank in his skin and he dropped into unconsciousness.

\-----

The teens came awake together. A string of flowery smoke rose off the table a few feet in front of them. On the far side of the room sat an elderly woman. She had pulled one of the comfortable chairs under the small basement window. Knitting needles clicked together. Theo sat up. "Oh, be careful, dearie. That's mountain ash at your feet." She looked up over the fluffy pink thing she worked on.

Theo and Liam shared a glance. With a cough the younger teen eyed the stairs. The older indicated the hunter. Both nodded understanding. "You can fight if you want. I would actually encourage it. The more you fight the faster you breathe, and the sooner I can get home." Her eyes focused on the project in her lap. "My granddaughter is due at time now, and I plan to be there when my great granddaughter is born."

The chimera laughed. "Old hunters always think they know everything." She arched an eyebrow at the boys. Theo had broken the circle and was across the room before she could react. He held her wrist careful not to brake any bones. "Sorry, Nana, I'm not exactly your average shape shifter." He pulled her from the chiar. "Now, why can't I smell you?"

"Kids always think they know everything." She stabbed her knitting needle into his back. It sank between the rib before she pulled it out to stab again. "You probably thought there was only two kinds of wolfsbane." Stab, lower this time. "White is almost as common as purple, but always over looked." Stab. Stab.

Theo had to think fast. Old people are supposed to be fragile. If he killed her on accident he would still be out. He couldn't lose Liam, not so when they just got together. Hitting her face or head could break her neck or give her massive head trauma. He couldn't reach her stabbing hand. The stabbing arm, was another story. 

Between the fourth and fifth stabs Theo got a hold on her elbow. "You psychotic old bitch!" He yelled as the smell of blood and other bodily fluids filled his nose. Claws extended digging into the joint. She screamed in pain as her arm severed at the joint. She fell to her knees blood pouring from the jagged end. 

The chimera quickly packed the end and tied a tourniquet using the hunter's own knitting. He moved her up into the chair and used the remaining yarn to tie her feet together. "Keep what's left of you arm up over your head. It'll reduce blood loss." He said while putting out the incense.

"My parents are fine. The sheriff is on his way." Liam froze halfway down. "You're bleeding! Holy fuck is that an arm?"

"That's going to end up being another rule, isn't it?" Theo sighed.

\------

Mason, Corey and Liam sat around Liam's kitchen table. Mason wrote on a large poster board while Corey drew with colored markers across the side and bottom. Nolan sat heavily in a chair across from Corey. "Why exactly are we having pack meetings two days in a row?" 

"Because Liam's new boyfriend decided to dismember a little old lady last night." Mason scowled.

Nolan's eye widened. "I knew he was crazy. You said he was out if he killed someone. Why would he kill an old lady?" 

Liam growled in frustration. "That's not what happened, Mason. Okay, maybe it is. But it wasn't like that. I mean he saved my life, and he didn't kill her."

"He actually took every possible step to save her life, after he took her arm off, I mean." Dr Geyer spoke around the fridge door. 

Mrs. Geyer walked in, a grocery bag in hand. Theo followed carrying three more. "The crazy bitch tried to kill my boy. As far as I'm concerned this one is a hero." She gave Theo a kiss on the cheek as he set the bags on the counter.

The chimera shifted uncomfortably. "I was just trying to stop her from stabbing me, with out killing her."

Mason sounded indignant. "How could you ripped her arm off?"

"It really isn't all that difficult if you go for a joint." Corey stifled a giggle. Mason gave him another look. "She stabbed me five times." Theo continued, "That first stab hit my kidney. One of the others punctured my intestines. I know that because I could smell shit, my own, as it leaked into my blood stream. She got at least two of my organs."

"Three." Dr. Geyer was helping to put groceries. "I saw bile coming from one of the stab wounds. She had to have hit your liver."

"Still, dismemberment is not acceptable." He held up the poster board. 'Pack Rules' written across the top. There was a drawing of a wolf chasing a coyote across the bottom. A chameleon climbed up one side toward an open book held up by brown hands, curly black hair poked out from behind it. A blond and freckled Elmer Fudd walked down the other side. The two rules were written in bold letters only slightly smaller than the title a third rule had joined them 'No Maiming'.

Theo fround. "Shouldn't that say 'No Dismemberment'?" Maiming is kind of broad and restrictive."

"Rules are supposed to be restrictive. That's the entire point."

"Liam brought me into the pack to be extra muscle, to watch his back and the rest of yours. To do that I am going to have to hurt people. How do I do that if I can't even knock out a hunter's knee or break a wrist, because the injury could cause permanent damage, and get me kicked out of the pack?" 

"He's got a good point there, Mase," Liam gave his best friend a charming smile. Mason looked around the table. Nolan nodded. Corey shrugged. He sighed and in much smaller writing under rule three he added and asterisk with 'except kneecaps'.

"People don't need knees to shoot." Theo pointed out. Everyone else agreed again. Mason added 'and trigger fingers'. "I can follow that."

"If you boys are done with pack business, then you can get to work cleaning the basement. All the furniture needs to be moved out and the carpet ripped out." Mrs Geyer smiled at the boys' stunned faces. "Get to work."


End file.
